Drinking-fount.



A. C. BROWN.

DRINKING POUNT.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. e, 1910.

1,124,693. Panama .1311.12, 1915.

- ler ,13 fawn,

ALBERT C. BROTWN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BNKNG-FOUNT.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented Jan. l2, i915..

Application le. September 6, 1910. Serial No. 580,469.

T 0 all whom it may concern Y Be it known that l, ALBERT C. EROWN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of VCook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Drinking-Founts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciication.

rEhis invention relates more particularly to that class of drinking founts in which the use of a cup is not required,but in which the user drinks the running Water from an overliowing receptacle.

`W ith the general spread of the knowledge of the danger to health arising from using public drinking cups indiscriminately, various devices have been constructed, particularly in parks, in `which a continuously flowing stream or jet of Water is utilized for the purpose. lThese devices as heretofore constructed have heen sanitary inasmuch as no part of the howl or receptacle is contacted by the face or lips of the drinker, and inasmuch as the entire structure is at at all times washed by the flowing liquid. rlhey have of necessity, however, been expensive to maintain oiving to the Waste occasioned by the continuous and practically uniform floiv of the liquid, and as heretofore constructed, have necessitated considerable space for installation. kThese olojectionable features have prevented the general installation in public buildings such as schools, hospitals, mercantile establishments, etc., and ovv/ing to the necessarily limited vvater supply, have rendered their use impracticable for railway cars.

The object of this invention is to afford a device for the purpose specified adapted for general use in public or private places and so constructed as'to prevent the unnecessary Waste of Water, although at all times laving the container or bovvl tomaintain the same in a sanitary condition.

lt is also an object of the invention to afford in connection With such a drinking device an automatically closing cock so constructed as to permit suflicient llovv for drinking purposes when, open and to permit but an exceedingly restrictedtlow when closed, and also to provide in connection With a device of the class described a cock adapted when fully open to limit or control the flow, restricting the force of the jet to a height suitable for the purpose.

rlChe invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a top plan view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan vieiv of the receptor for the Waste Water. Fig. l is an enlarged face vien7 of one form of packing Washer for permitting a normally restricted lioW through the device.

As shown in the drawings: l, indicates a Wall or slab upon which the device is supported. Secured in said Wall or slab is an automatically self-closing cock comprising a casing 2, having secured therein a transverse partition 3, dividing said casing into an actuating chamber 4, and a Water chamber. 6, indicates the connection communicating through the valve seat 7, With the Water chamber and adapted for connection With a source of Water supply as is usual. 8, indicatesa cap threaded on the outer end of the casing to close the actuating chamber. EX- tending through said actuating chamber and Water chamber is a valve stem 9, provided near its extremity in said water chamber with a collar l0, thereon, against which is secured a packing Washer ll, Which, as shovvn, is slightly notched or grooved to permit a slight flow of Water therepast When the valve is seated. The end 12, of said valve stem is tapered and projects through the aperture in said seat, as shown in Fig. 2, and is of a diameter to nearly till said aperture when the valve is closed and because of the taper thereof, permits a graduallyincreasing flow as the stem is retracted. Secured on saidy stem and bearing against the partition 3, and on the collar l0, is a strong spring 13, which acts to hold said valve in its normal position. integrally secured on said stem and in the actuating chamber is a head lll, having a transverse slot therein, as shown in Fig. 2. Extending through the Wall of said chamber and into said slot is an eccentric l5, on the outer end of which is connected an actuating handle 16. The outer extremity of said stem slidably engages in a bore in the degree ot opening. Extending throughl saidk slab l, is a waste pipe 1S, shaped at its outer end or at any convenient point to afford a trap 19. The outer end of said waste pipe is turned upwardly and secured there` on bv threading or in any suitable manner to afford a tight joint is the receptor 20, for the overflow or waste water. This, as shown, is a relatively shallow bowl communicating at its bottom with a chamber 2l, through passages arranged around the center of the bowl. A passage 22, opens through the side of said chamber21, and opens axially upward through the bottom thereof and is internally screw threaded at its outer and inner end. @pening from the water chamber 5, of the cock and threaded into the outer end of said water passage is a nozzle 23.

The drinking cup or fount comprises a shallow bowl 2%, of relatively small capacity, which may be constructed of metal or any suitable material of less diameter than the waste bowl 20. Said bowl is provided on its under side at its axis with a threaded boss 25, which threads into the axial inlet passage 22, in said chamber, as shown in Fig. 2. ln the bottom of said bowl at its axis is an upwardly extending boss 26. A passage isr provided through the boss 26, which is restricted to afford a slightly reduced nozzle to direct the jet or flow centrally and upwardly.

As shown, means are interposed between the tount or bowl 24, and the waste bowl 20, to prevent 'foreign objects finding their way thereinto to clog the discharge. For this purpose a sheet of wire gauze or perforated metal 27, or other suitable material is cut to fit within the waste bowl with its periphery, as shown in Fig. 2, supported upon a ledge 28, within said bowl. A centralaperture is provided therethrough to receive the fount. Said aperture is suiiciently small for the fount when screwed into place to spring the same slightly inward or concave the same.

rThe operation is as follows: A suiiicient How of water is delivered through the cock at all times to keep the ount 'full and permit the water to slowly drip from the rim into the waste bowl, thereby keeping the water at all times fresh and constantly washing the bowl. This maintains a sufficient supply of water also in the waste pipe 18, at all times to keep the trap 19, filled, sealing the waste pipe 'from any emanations through the waste bowl. When it iskdesired to drink, the handle 16, of the cock is moved in either direction, opening the cock and quickly augmenting the flow to produce a jet sufficiently high, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, to permit drinking without wetting the face in the bowl. Immediately upon releasing the lever 16, the spring 13, acts to close the cock, returning the same to its normal condition, thus preventing any excess waste of water and yet maintaining the fount at all times in a sanitary condition and permitting the convenient use of the ount atkwill. All the waste water when the cock is fully opened or in its normal position, overflows the rim of the fount into the waste bowl and passes to the waste. No additional receptacle for the overllow or waste is necessary other than that herein shown and described and in consequence the space required for installation is not materially greater than that ordinarily required for an ordinary bib cock. Owing to the convenience ot installation and the economy in the use of water, the device is admirably adapted for schools and public buildings and for railway service.

1tv will be observed that the upper edge of the waste bowl 2Gy is but slightly below the upper edge of the -fount cup 24, and that the screen 27 is disposed just below the upper edge of said waste cup. The result of this arrangement is that the overflowing` water has but a very short distance to drop, which will minimize any tendency to splash outwardly, and any such tendency is further minimized by the concave contour of the screen 27, when pressed into position by the insertion of the fount cup 24.

y While I have shown a particular form of washer such as may be used in the cock for permitting a slow flow therethrough, itl is to be understood that a grooved washer is not necessary inasmuch as any hard washer in a cock such as described will permit sufficient water to pass the valve normally to maintain the requisite quantity in the bowl at all times. Owing to the tapered extension 12, in the valve stem, the water cannot be made to jet high or violently from the fount, inasmuch as the retraction of the valve in all instances opens the waterway gradually and in this manner inconvenience and discomfort or wetting of the garments is impossible.

I have shown but one (and that a preferred) form of my invention, and 1 therefore do notkpurpose limiting myself otherwise than necessitated by the prior art, as numerous details of construction 'may, of course, be varied without departing from the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

14A drinking tount casing, comprising a waste cup, a cylindrical chamber integral therewith and extending coaxially below the same, an integral centrally apertured lug extending inwardly and upwardly from one side of said chamber, said chamber being apertured to receive a supply pipe communieating with said apertured lug and to receive a discharge pipe below said apertured lug, said apertured lug adapted detachably 10 fount cup, said sei-een when positioned being sprung inwardly by said fount cup to concave the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT C. BROVN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr., CAssIUs H. FUTCHER.l

Copies ef this paten may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

